PM2.5 Levels on the Underground

David Kurten: In the last meeting of the Environment Committee your Deputy Mayor Shirley Rodriguez would not commit to bringing PM2.5 levels on the Underground down from over 300µg/m3 to your target of 10µg/m3 when I asked her. Will you as the Mayor commit to your own target of bringing PM2.5 levels down to 10µg/m3 on all parts of the Underground?

The Mayor: As part of my wider commitment to improving air quality, I have asked TfL to maintain the cleanest air possible for staff and customers when using the Tube.
It is important to note that the WHO’s recommended guidelines for PM2.5 were developed specifically for ambient (above ground) air quality. The particle size distribution and chemical composition of PM in the Tube network is different from those found in ambient air, as is noted in the recent COMEAP report, published on 9 January 2019.
At the Environment Committee, my Deputy Mayor emphasised action was already being taken to address PM2.5 levels on the Tube. This includes a tunnel cleaning programme and TfL commissioning the Government’s Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) to provide their latest assessment of the health effects of particulate air pollution on London Underground.
TfL closely monitors dust levels on the Tube, which operates well within the specified Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines. Samples of respirable dust levels on the deep tube system typically average 0.5mg/m3 and rarely exceed 1 mg/m3, considerably below the HSE workplace exposure limits for general dust (4 mg/m3).
The COMEAP report said more research and analysis was needed and set out three recommendations for TfL in relation to monitoring and sampling and continuing with the tunnel cleaning programme. TfL has accepted these recommendations and will be carrying out further monitoring and testing of dust samples. This will help to further understand the relationship between TubePM exposure and any health effects and whether any further targets for underground air quality are needed.
London Underground’s Director of HSE recently wrote to the GLA’s Environment Committee to provide information on a number of related issues and will be meeting with the Committee to answer any further questions.

Environmental representatives within London Buses

Caroline Russell: The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has long said that having a green or environmental representative within a workplace is a first step in greening the workplace. Will you work with Transport for London (TfL) to enable unions within London Buses to bring in environmental representatives and support them with facility time?

The Mayor: I have frequently expressed the view that I consider trade unions to be an important part of any successful workplace. I am proud of the progress my administration, Transport for London (TfL) officials and the transport unions have made in improving the industrial relations climate within TfL, for the benefit of all Londoners.
TfL already takes environmental concerns very seriously, for example with the TfL Energy Strategy setting the direction towards lowering the organisation’s carbon footprint. TfL also has over 150 environmental champions across the business who are focal points for any localised environmental concerns. For more urgent environmental concerns, dedicated Health & Safety reps already exists across TfL where Trade Union colleagues can raise environmental concerns.
London continues to have one of the largest and cleanest bus fleets in the world, with more than 150 zero-emission buses and 75 per cent of the diesel fleet at the ultra-clean Euro VI engine emission standard. TfL expects the whole fleet to be ultra-clean diesel towards the end of 2020.

Fair Trade City

Unmesh Desai: Could you commit to helping make London an effective Fairtrade City by
a) Funding the development of ethical and fair-trade procurement policies for Greater London Authority bodies
b) Providing support for Fairtrade London volunteers
c) Ensuring catering facilities in City Hall use full ranges of ‘fairly traded’ products, objectively defined in contract conditions in accordance with Public Contract Regulations 2015?

The Mayor: I am committed to making London a Fairtrade City. I have supported Fairtrade by offering Fairtrade products in City Hall, hosting Fairtrade Fortnight events, and championing Fairtrade procurement more widely. With regards to your specific points:
a) I have published my Responsible Procurement Policy, which can be found at www.london.gov.uk/rp-policy. One of the six themes is Promoting ethical sourcing practices’, where we focus on identifying contracts and areas of spend where there may be a high risk of poor working conditions, human rights abuses or negative impacts on security and crime.
b) My volunteering programme is called Team London. I encourage all Londoners to become active citizens and to give their time to make the capital a better place.Volunteering is a great way to help Londoners reach their full potential. It can help them to build the new skills that employers are looking for and is a great social leveler to help London to become a happier and more unified city.
c) London was the UK’s first Fairtrade City and I published the London Food Strategy in December 2018 to reaffirm my commitment to promoting healthy, sustainable food in the GLA Group by supporting initiatives including Fairtrade, Food for Life Served Here, Sustainable Fish Cities and RSPC Assured food. The strategy champions Fairtrade certification in its ‘good food’ definition and calls on Londoners to look out for Fairtrade certified products.